Best Special Event Program
"Celebrating Canada Day"
HI - Vancouver Jericho Beach
600 People at HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach's Second Annual Cool Aid Canada Day Party - Celebrating Canada Day, Jericho's proud history and 100 Years of Hostelling.
It was a day to remember and a day of remembrance. To help celebrate Hostelling International's 100 year history, Jericho Beach's proud Cool Aid past and Canada's birthday, HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach threw the biggest party and hostel open house with over 600 people in attendance. 
By working with key partner organizations Moose Run and West Trek tours, as well as other local community businesses, HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach's 2nd Annual Cool Aid Canada Day Party gave local residents, HI members and international guests a great way to interact and celebrate. With music, face painting, games and prizes, this all day event not only promoted the start of the hostelling movement 100 years ago, but also the strength of the hostelling movement that has developed today.
HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach also took the opportunity on this busy day to promote both the HI membership as well as the national network of hostels in Canada. With a captivated audience of 600, we not only had membership cards available for purchase for attendees, but we also had brochures, posters and gave away hostel stays as prizes.
To further emphasize our international make-up and that hostelling brings people together, international teams were formed to participate in our very popular Hostel Olympics. The games ended with a rousing bilingual rendition of Oh Canada and much fun was had by all.
Best Continuing Program
"Birthday Behind Bars"
HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel 
The HI-Ottawa Jail Hostel's birthday program is designed to target youth aged 8-13. It combines our unique facility and the hostel experience to introduce youth to a fun, interactive Jail birthday party. The package includes the following elements:
- Electronic invitations
- Birthday cake (getaway file not included)
- Personalized mug shot and finger-printing of each delinquent
- Plus a choice of three educational activities:
- Carleton County Gaol Scavenger Hunt (run throughout the hostel this part exposes partiers what a hostel is all about)
- Carleton County Gaol Hangman Tournament
- It's Gruel Time: What Inmates Ate (kids make and taste actual gruel ? very popular)
- Carleton County Gaol Heritage Centre Visit (our death row heritage centre that tells the story of the building from before it was a hostel)
- Carleton county Gaol Activity Book (includes games and activities relating to both the Gaol and the hostelling movement and experiences)
This program takes participants throughout our hostel where they can see how a hostel works from the guest point of view as well as introducing them to the local history and making it come alive. We offer the kids a chance to have their mugshot and fingerprints taken while dressed in a Jail prisoner uniform. They learn that people from all ages and cultural backgrounds stayed in the Gaol when it was a jail by viewing our authentic log book from the 1870's.
Best Environmental Program
"Finding Fossils"HI - Lake Louise Alpine Centre
2009 marked the centennial for two historically important events which have influenced Canada and the world.
In 1909, one of the world's most significant ancient marine ecosystem discoveries was made in Canada. The 505 million year old Burgess Shale fossils were discovered in Yoho National Park, and today this globally important resource is protected within the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. The exquisitely preserved soft-bodied Burgess Shale animals continue to generate scientific wonder and contribute to a greater understanding of evolution.
That same year, a historical hostelling movement started in Germany and forged its way to Canada with the help of two sisters from Calgary. The International Youth Hostelling Association (IYHA) has since formed its own unique place in the world of travel, through its endeavors to help all, especially the young, form a greater understanding of peoples, places and cultures. 2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of Hostelling.
To mark these Centennial milestones, Hostelling International and Parks Canada have come together to celebrate two influential moments in Canadian and world heritage. Together they are offering a unique package opportunity, ?Finding Fossils'. Explore the Burgess Shale and Hostelling International ? Canada, through this partnership.
Enjoy an evening at the HI-Lake Louise Alpine Centre and rest up for a guided hike to the internationally treasured Burgess Shale.
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